INTERESTING MEETING OF THE DISTRICT COUNCIL JUL 27:

DISCUSSION OF REUNIFICATION OF THE TWO NORTH VANCOUVERS

Comments from video: ‘There is a need to cut through politics and go directly to the people. There would be advantages to transportation, long term planning, business initiatives, shared services. There needs to be a public examination of shared services with the City – to put everything on the table (surprises coming).’

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BE PART OF THE 55+ BC GAMES IN NORTH VANCOUVER AUGUST 25-29 DETAILS HERE:

NEXT COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULED IS SEPTEMBER 14

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COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY JULY 20:

From the consent agenda it seems that the Shipyards expression of interest has been narrowed down to three proponents (details are from the closed session so not available); Delegation from Sailor Hagar’s re Liquor Regulations; Delegation from Korean Cultural Heritage Assn; Council Authorization to attend ‘Walk 21 Stepping Ahead’ Conference -Vienna in Oct; CNV4ME Task Force; Gas Pump Labels; Rezoning Applications for 362-8 East 3rd; 1337 Jones; 212-4 West 5th; request for Slide the City report; request re Bicycle Lift.

(Voices comment: The conference in Vienna focus is resilient cities and healthy living. Our estimate – taxpayer’s minimum cost per Councillor using moderate hotel = $3500 – air, 3 nts hotel, per diem, registration). The request for the bicycle lift is from Coun. Keating. We recall that this previously came before Council in 2009 at the request of the Mayor and cost estimate at that time was $2-3Million. Since then, the original bike lift in Trondheim has been replaced with this: http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014/04/bike-elevator-take-you-steep-hills/8774/ which quotes a cost of about $3,000 per Meter.)

Welcome to our updated website. This “NEWS” page will have announcements of upcoming meetings, public hearings and other information we feel should be highlighted.

The “COUNCIL” tab will focus on gathered facts – expenses, salaries etc. We’ll have a section for “Questions We Couldn’t Ask” (concerns arising from meetings), and “Did They Really Say That”? (Shake your head moments).

The “ARTICLES” tab will have relevant published information from other sources.

The “SUBMISSIONS’ tab will list our submissions to Council at Council Meetings in Public Hearings or the Public Input portion.

The “STATISTICS” tab will summarize the Regional Growth Strategy to 2041 and where we are to date with planned projects.

The “ABOUT” tab has our contact information and history.

We recognize that our city (North Vancouver) is growing and will continue to grow. Growth is healthy. However, there is a big difference between managed, prudent growth and unfettered developer driven growth. We believe we are getting too much of the latter. The current Mayor and Council are in a rush to rapidly increase the population density by allowing developers to build beyond the limits of our Official Community Plan (a process called density bonusing). This is resulting in land speculation, a glut of oversized condo towers, growing traffic problems, and increasingly inadequate recreational and other community amenities. We’re trying to hold the current mayor and his Council majority accountable by doing research, speaking up at public meetings, and informing the public in any way we can. We note that this mayor and three councillors all receive significant campaign funding from the same developers who then come before Council applying for density bonuses and upzoning. Such a clear conflict of interest is illegal at all other levels of government, but somehow permissible at the municipal level.

This term will be interesting, with major projects to come before Council. In part, the OCP is complete but without a density bonus policy, Harry Jerome, Lot 5, Site 8, the Museum, the Polygon Gallery, Harbourside, Gaming, School lands and needed infrastructure and transit improvements. There is no evidence yet of the new majority voting independently. We would remind those Councillors that they do not have a majority of voters behind them.